My grandparents are approaching their 50th anniversary. It sounds amazing to me! Nowadays people hardly stay together for a couple of years and what's left for 50 or so...despite all the everyday things they find to argue about they just look so good together :))))))

Bulgarian villages are becoming more and more deserted. And it's sad. Some of the best memories from my childhood are related to the weekends I spent with my grandparents at our village called Brestovo, Lovech Municipality, central north Bulgaria.
I've had the opportunity to travel a lot the last couple of years and I hardly stayed in one place, but whenever I came home I always try to find the time to go back there. Unfortunately, there is not much to come back to. Streets are empty, yards are silent, houses - locked up and asleep...

I hope with advanced transportation and better economical perspectives life changes so that people go back to their roots. I hope I could live to see that some day...

I am sure all of you know the song that goes "all I want for Christmas is you"...
That's what it felt like for two friends of mine this last weekend - he was waiting for his girlfriend to get off a plane from London, and she was going through some hard times finding the way home on the eve of her very latest 19th birthday.

Today was a great day. It started with a phone call from a photo competition I took part in like a month ago. The topic was carnival and the big prize was a trip to Venice for two for the carnival there in the beginning of February...oh well, I did not get that :D I think that's a good thing having in mind I've been there 3 times already :D Not that you could ever get tired of Venice...Instead I got an aroma set, but the most important thing is that I felt lucky today, and this was the beginning of a really cheerful day :)))) We should be really thankful for great days like that and share them with everyone around us!

Here's the two photos I entered the competition with. The first one got me the prize.

This is a photograph I actually took in Venice this last February. Nikon D60, 18-55mm.

The second photo is part of a photo project I did in the spring for my photography class - Gypsy Queens Fashion Look-book. Model: Dani PopovaStylist: Desi Gateva

I want to thank everyone who voted for me because that got me half-way there! :))))

Last night I finally went out and bought a really nice Christmas tree (fake one of course, for ref. see previous post: Day 17). Later that night I got a decoration inspiration so I worked my magic on it, and now I feel like it's so lovely that I want to take it in bed with me so I can hug it all the time :))))))))

I posted more photos in case some of you get inspired and need ideas for a nice angle when capturing your Christmas time at home or elsewhere if you feel like it :))))

All photos were taken with Nikon D700, 50mm, 1/30sec, with ISO 800-3200, f/ 1,8.

Last year this time I was a student at the IED Madrid, and one of my projects required me to create a performance of some kind, which I had to show in front of my class using a media of my choice. I had some idea of going around hugging strangers with a "free hug" sign, while someone shoots that for me. I felt it was cliche but too shy to do something out of the box. One day I went to the Chinese store to get some decoration for my apartment and this crazy idea came to my mind. At that time the HOPENHAGEN project was gaining popularity so I decided to actually do something practical and mix those ideas...I made a short movie with a clear message: SAVE A TREE, DECORATE A FRIEND

I had to shoot a few times because I was laughing too hard, feeling really stupid. No need to say how embarassed I felt when I showed it in class. But it seemed like everybody liked it so I just laugh about it ever since ;)

I have always craved for a real Christmas tree at home, I just love the smell of it, but this year I am actually looking for a fake one, so it made a difference if not for someone else at least for myself. Be the change!

This one is part of the Eskimos series. It talks about love :)
I like the sweet colors I got after touching a bit of PS. I also like the black background and white clothes contrast, snowflakes all around. I also love these guys so much, so be ready to see them often on this blog! ;)

If you know me well you probably know I always enjoy a good game of pool. I do not play strictly by the rules but I rather prefer adjusting them just before the game with my partner, because I play for pleasure, not for fame.

I don't compete for score, even though I don't like losing..but I managed to live with that lately since I obviously play with lucky partners :D

The shot is from a game I was just shooting, and not winning or losing :) The guys were fun to watch, but they accused me of distraction so I had to move fast and invisible :)))

Nikon D60, 18-55mm, ISO 200, f /4.5, 1/6sec, no flash. I am a big fan of a pretty bokeh, so I am quite pleased with the result in this photo, even though I regret that I missed to see the glare in the 8th ball, could have turned it just a little.

December is full of joy. We celebrate everything, and everyone, since there are numerous name days, as well as professional holidays, birthdays and Christmas holidays. The following photo comes from December 8th 2010 - Students Holiday celebrated in the heart of the students' neighborhood here in Sofia, Bulgaria.

These guys had a blast and they amazed me with their advanced knowledge of traditional folk dances from all over Bulgaria. I almost felt nostalgic of my student years not so long ago.. Time of my life!

This photo has no technical quality, but it is on this blog because it was made by the hands of one of the most precious people I know - baba Kerana. It's a fish stuffed with walnuts and rice, mixed with herbs only she knows. December 6 is St. Nickolas Day and Bulgarians like to cook some fish in a traditional way. I know it's sentimental, but it is what it is.